Liam’s POV
“Hold on!” I warned as we hit the rugged path leading down to the lake.
On any other day, I would have floored it, letting the truck bounce over the uneven terrain for the full off-roading thrill. But with Lia in the vehicle, I kept my foot light on the gas, even if the ride was still rough. Logan’s grip on her tightened, his face paling at every jolt. Neither of us could stomach the thought of her getting hurt, not even a scratch.
Lia, on the other hand, was completely unbothered. She let out an exhilarated whoop, laughing as if she were on the best ride of her life.
“That was amazing!” she cheered when I finally pulled into the makeshift parking area near the lake. “Can we go even faster on the way back?”
Logan looked like he was going to be sick just imagining it.
“Hell no! That’s not happening!” he snapped through our link, his voice sharp with disapproval.
I understood his concern. We’d do anything to keep her safe, to ensure not even a single hair on her head was harmed. But denying Lia anything, especially when she gave me that pleading look, was damn near impossible.
“We’ll see,” I told her, dodging Logan’s glare.
“We could buckle her into the harness and let her sit solo,” I suggested over mind-link, knowing full well how he’d react. As expected, Logan growled in response. I smirked but let it go, grabbing our bag from the backseat before pulling Lia toward the sandy shore. With a huff, Logan followed, carrying the basket of food Gwen had packed for us.
The lakefront was alive with activity. Pack members had flooded the area, taking advantage of the rare stretch of warm sunshine. Groups were scattered along the shore-some lounging with drinks in hand, others sprawled out with books, soaking in the heat. A few hopeful souls lingered alone, no doubt looking for someone to leave with by sunset.
Navigating the crowd, we spotted our group at the far end of the beach. Bastian was there, as was his sister Amara. Thalassa, Nikolai’s sister, sat beside her, the two deep in conversation, undoubtedly gossiping.
Nikolai stood off to the side, a red solo cup in hand, a leggy brunette draped over him. Logan dropped the basket with a thud, drawing the girls’ attention.
“Lia! Hey!” Amara and Thalassa called in unison, waving her over.
“Come sit with us!” Thalassa offered. “We’ll hang out while the boys do whatever it is they do.”
“Yeah, we can give you all the juicy details about Blood Moon,” Amara added with a knowing grin.
As much as my best friends’ little sisters could be a handful, I was grateful for the way they welcomed Lia without hesitation.
“Will you be okay hanging with them while Logan and I catch up with Bastian and Nikolai?” I asked, handing her a towel.
“Of course!” She smirked. “I can’t wait to hear all the gossip-especially about a few Alphas I know.” She winked, and Logan and I exchanged a look before watching her jog over to them.
Then she shimmied out of her shorts and pulled off her top.
Logan stiffened beside me.
Her bikini was tiny. A black string number that left very little to the imagination. The creamy skin of her curves was on full display-lean, toned, utterly breathtaking. She was a goddess. But we were on a beach filled with unmated wolves, and every single one of them had turned to look at her.
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Logan growled under his breath. “Every asshole here is eye-fucking her. Even the mated ones!”
He moved to storm over, but I grabbed his elbow, holding him back. Lia was laughing, completely oblivious to the attention, and as much as I wanted to rip the eyes out of every male watching her, I wouldn’t embarrass her.
“Hold on, brother,” I warned. “If you charge over there demanding she cover up, she’ll either be embarrassed or think we’re ashamed of her. Either way, we’d hurt her-because of our own insecurities.”
Logan exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face in frustration. “Yeah, okay. You’re right.” He relented, but his scowl deepened. “But these are our pack members. They’re going to learn to respect that she’s ours real fast.”
“Exactly.” I smirked. “Let her have a few minutes to bond with the girls. Then we’ll take our girl for a swim.”
We made our way toward Nikolai, who looked in dire need of a rescue. Between his Gamma rank, his lead warrior status, and his easy southern charm, he was a magnet for single she-wolves. He never turned down a bit of harmless flirting, but he also had a habit of being too polite when some didn’t take the hint.
“Nikolai!” Logan called, and he practically peeled himself away from the brunette beside him.
“Well, if it isn’t my two favorite Alphas!” he greeted, his southern drawl thick. “How is it y’all passed the beer cooler and came over here empty-handed?”
“I could grab you a couple?” the brunette-Bia, I think-offered.
“Thanks, Bia, but we’re good for now,” Logan said. “Actually, we need to steal Nikolai for some pack business.”
She pouted but Nikolai flashed her his signature grin. “Go have fun, sweetheart. I’ll catch ya later.”
As soon as she walked off, he turned on us. “Took you long enough! I almost agreed to be her darts partner tonight. You know I hate darts!”
I laughed. “You do know you can say no, right?”
“And ruin my reputation? Hell no. It’s your job as my Alphas to bail me out.”
“One of these days, we won’t be around to save you, and you’ll have to grow a pair or end up stuck.”
Before he could respond, Logan elbowed me, nodding toward the girls. A guy I didn’t recognize was chatting up Lia.
This time, I was the one stomping over, Logan at my side. I stopped right next to him, forcing a smile. He had no idea she was our mate. No reason to kill him… yet.
“Hey, ladies!” I said brightly. “Afraid I need to steal this beauty away for a while.” I reached down, pulling Lia to her feet. She looked surprised but didn’t resist.
The guy started to speak, then turned, his face draining of color as he realized who we were. When he saw Logan flanking his other side, he paled further.
“It was nice meeting you, Zorin!” Lia said cheerfully as we led her away.
He nodded, mumbling something under his breath. He’d definitely think twice before flirting with an unknown she-wolf again.
Grinning, I grabbed Lia by the waist and spun her in the air before throwing her over my shoulder and running into the water with her, her delighted laughter echoing across the beach.